Equestria Rewritten

by darlinglightfoot

Potion Problem

Apple Bloom trotted across the platform holding the ingredient bottle in her mouth. Despite being an earth pony, she had many magical talents. She carefully poured the contents into the mixtures, then set the bottle down. "See class, all ya' gotta' do is put in just the right amount-" she watched as the potion sent up a puff of pink smoke that sparkled into the air. "And you'll have a potion."

Flurry Heart looked around at the other ponies in the class furiously scribbling down notes. Daffodil sat right beside her. The greenish unicorn seemed engulfed by the presentation, and while she was a unicorn, she hardly ever used magic in the traditional sense. This was her bread and butter. Potion-making, and she wanted to learn all there was to know about it.

"Now class, this week I wasn't goin' challenge y'all, but I feel like you can handle it." Apple Bloom said. With a cheeky little smirk. "I'd like you all to pair up and pick a potion from this list, by the end of the week I wanna see what you all can make."

Instantly, Flurry clung to Daffodil, who happily accepted her as a project partner. "We got this." Daffodil said confidently.

The pair took the slip of paper and read over the options. The page had six options, but Daffodil was aiming for the highest difficulty. Between her expertise and Flurry Hearts, well... alicorn-ness... she was sure they could get the highest score in the class. She pointed her hoof to the potion labeled "fearless-fall", beneath it was a description. 'A potion that offers a power only some of the most powerful unicorns possess. The ability to hold oneself in an orb of protection, whilst seeming to levitate above the ground. Or, alternatively, safely lower oneself from a high position of peril.'

Flurry gave her an unsure smile, but Daffodil hardly noticed her apprehension. Circling the potion and submitting the slip as they made their way out of the lecture hall.

Down in the lab Flurry Heart rushed around gathering the ingredients Daffodil had instructed her to place on the laboratory table. Daffodil held up a scroll with the supposed recipe for the potion. "Did you grab the Minotaur's Tusk?" She asked.

Flurry scanned the results of her gathering, shaking her head and she was off again.

Daffodil checked over the ingredients, calling back over to her friend, "And the Essence of Wisp?"

Flurry audibly groaned from the supply closet. Searching jars for the strange ingredients. Finally finding the proper items and rushing back over.

The pair slowly proportioned the items into smaller bottles, then, carefully Daffodil positioned the potion bottle. "Okay, Flurry, slowly pour the ingredients in... This should be the right recipe."

Flurry Heart felt a wave of nervousness wash over her, as she held the one of them in her hooves. She began to shake as she thought of how fickle the potion was, growing more and more anxious until the bowl slipped out of her hooves. The glass shattered and the powder spilled onto the tile floor of the lab.

Before she could think, Flurry Heart was already spilling apologies, but Daffodil wasn't hearing any of it. "C'mon Flurry'" She said in an exasperated tone. "You know we're being graded on this right?" She said, a glow of irritation covering her usually relaxed demeaner.

Flurry Heart stammered, unsure, trying her best to come up with something comforting to say, or a way to make it right. Quickly, she turned on her hooves, "I'll just grab some more, don't worry-" As she spun she slammed into the stationary table, knocking herself back and spilling the remaining ingredients as well. Turning back she saw Daffodil, now frowning and covered in mysterious powders and gels. "I-I'm so sorry-"

Daffodil rose to her hooves, and used her unicorn-magic to clean herself off. "Let's just take a break, Flurry Heart." She said, sternly. "We'll work on this again tomorrow."

Later that evening, back in their dorm, Daffodil entered triumphantly. "Flurry Heart!" She said excitedly. "I've got a great idea for our project!"

Flurry turned, with a grin on her face, glad to see that her friend was no longer cross with her. "Yeah?" She replied urging her to continue.

"I will concoct the potion, all you have to do is sign the papers!" Daffodil smiled, as if this were the greatest plan she'd come up with in all her life.

"So..." Flurry's smile fell suddenly. "What your saying is... you don't want me to help? With our 'group' project?"

As they spoke the door opened, revealing Berry Patch, stepping into the thick of an awkward conversation, she slowly backed out of the room and closed the door. Leaving as quickly as she had entered.

"What I'm saying is-" Daffodil said finally after the pause, "You don't have to worry about messing anything else up!"

Flurry jumped to her feet. "What?!" She shouted. "I said I was sorry!"

Daffodil frowned "Listen, I thought this would make you happy, you wouldn't even have to worry about making a huge mess of things, and you'd still get the credit."

"I don't think you even realize how insulting you are being right now!"

"You know what, fine." Daffodil relented. "We'll try it again tomorrow, I just thought it would be less stressful for you because I know you only messed it up because you were so anxious about getting it right-"

"Just let it go already." Flurry demanded, holding her hoof up between them, "Today was a rough day in the lab, but it's not worth arguing over."

The two silently agreed.

The next day, upon returning to the lab, Flurry Heart came to find that Daffodil had already laid out the proportioned ingredients. "I know you wanted to help, so I did wait for you..." She said, with a soft smile.

Flurry Heart swallowed a lump of distaste before returning the smile, less sincerely. "Thanks for setting up."

"It's no problem, I was also thinking-" Daffodil began, taking note of Flurry staring daggers at her. "Not that, so don't worry" She continued. "I was thinking, maybe if you use your magic, you may have a more steady pour than with your hooves."

Flurry gulped, erasing the look of anger with one of embarrassing realization. "Oh-" She laughed awkwardly. "I don't know why that hadn't crossed my mind."

The pair shared an uncomfortable smile, before Flurry lifted the bowl once more, this time using her magic. As she poured the contents into the vessel, the pair shared a sigh of relief. "Nice, now..." Daffodil's voice trailed off "I must've forgot the essence again, I'll be right back."

As she turned back toward the supply closet, Flurry Heart thought about how Daffodil had started without her... Before she could think, she was pouring all the ingredients into the vessel swiftly and without order. Adding glitter and scented florals to enhance the look and vibe of the potion. Galloping around the room gathering other things she figured would make the potion more interesting.

Once, Daffodil returned, and noticed what Flurry had down, she feigned a smile... "Oh-" She laughed, trying to stay chipper, as Flurry had only done what she herself suggested she would do... "You've done it all..." She poured the bottle of essence into the vessel to presumably completed the potion.

Flurry smiled, proudly. "I just wanted to make sure it was all done for you, so you wouldn't have to worry."

Daffodil's eyes were wide, in disbelief. "And you followed the recipe exactly?"

Flurry nodded. Smiling, but knowing her version of the potion would be much better than the supposed recipe.

"Awesome, great... well," She sighed, "Well, I guess we'll see how it works during class... I'll see you later I guess."

All her life, Daffodil had searched for something to set her apart. Her brother, Dusk, was a star magic pupil. Second only to Darling Lightfoot, and Daffodil could never hold a candle to his magical prowess.

Potion-Making, however, was an intellectual game. What she couldn’t do with magic, where she had always felt lacking, now she could shine.

Tears welled in her eyes… she could make a potion too. And she would- she wouldn’t be outshined again.

Apple Bloom, Starlight Glimmer, and Trixie stood at the end of the gym. As each pair of students showed off their potion projects, Head Mare Starlight scratched down notes on her clipboard, the three instructors smiling amongst themselves at each functional potion, and offering comfort to those who failed.

Daffodil smiled, hopping side to side switching hooves, barely able to contain her excitement. Flurry Heart was excited too, confident that this potion would prove to Daffodil and their teachers that she was capable.

The pair approached the teachers, as it was their turn to exhibit their potion. "fearless-fall" Starlight read off her clipboard. "Interesting choice, when using this potion, the user should be protected momentarily in a floating orb."

Flurry Heart used her magic to open the bottle, while flying into the air. Closing her wings as she splash the contents over her body. A puff of glittering smoke flittered around her as she began to fall. The potion had not taken effect. Flurry scrambled to open her wings, just before she fell to the ground. She was covered in glitter and smelled distinctly like roses. "Oh you two... You can't add any additional ingredients to the potions..." Starlight said, taking a strong whiff of the fragrance oil. "I'm sorry but for this project you both-"

Daffodil interrupted suddenly, a smile plastered across her face. "Actually-" She said instantly. "I had a feeling this might happen, and so I've prepared an alternative potion for this exact reason."

Starlight narrowed her eyes, but instructor Trixie smiled. "A misdirect!"

"Unorthodox." Starlight replied.

"I'd like to see what she made" Apple Bloom said, finally.

Flurry Heart, sighed, disappointedly. Feeling bested. She lifted Daffodil up into her arms and flew upwards with her. Letting her go, Daffodil emptied the contents of her own potion from head-to-toe. A solid orb surrounded her as she began to float. Happily, she began to celebrate momentarily, before the bubble burst.

Daffodil began to plummet, screaming as she fell. Flurry stared in shock before swooping to catch her.

Slowly lowering her to the ground. "I-I-I I don't know what went wrong?" Daffodil said, head in her hooves.

"It was almost successful" Starlight said, trying to offer some solace.

"It must've been" Daffodil began...

"The Wisp Essence?" Flurry Heart and Daffodil asked in unison. They shared a frown, before they both began laughing.

"You two, there's a reason I made this a group assignment." Apple Bloom began. "From now on, y'all need to work together, because when you work together, the product is better." She said, "Y'all understand?"

The two girls looked at each other and then back at their instructors. "We understand..."

"I'm sorry for being so controlling" Daffodil said, walking out of the gymnasium. "I should've never suggested you weren't helping, I obviously needed you checking my work..."

"Well, I'm sorry I didn't tell the truth about adding ingredients... I was just trying to get back at you... That wasn't right of me either.":

They both frowned before smiling. "It was just really important to me, but now I know, It's better to do things together and... sometimes we make mistakes, but that doesn't mean we can't make it right... by working together."

(Closing Sequence)

Flurry Heart and Daffodil concoct a new potion together, taking turns pouring fresh ingredients into the potion vessel. Pound Cake and Sunbeam Fly to the top of the gymnasium, lifting Daffodil. Flurry Heart flies beside them spotting, so that she doesn't fall. Berry Patch tosses the vile up to Daffodil, who pours the contents over her. Being engulfed in a cloud of smoke as the boys release her. Pound Cake covers his eyes and Sunbeam waves the smoke away from his face.

Daffodil can be seen happily hopping away in her floating bubble as she slowly lowers to the floor, Flurry flies after her as they all rush into a group hug.